Beleaguered homeowners living on The Street in Benacre have hit out at the dangerous state their road has been left in.

Beleaguered homeowners living on The Street in Benacre have hit out at the dangerous state their road has been left in - with numerous huge potholes appearing, as they call for action. Image: Caz Collis (Image: Caz Collis)

It comes as a major £63m flood defence scheme to safeguard the A12 and protect dozens of homes as well as hundreds of acres of farmland gathers pace.

The works carried out at Benacre Pumping Station as captured on May 5, 2024. Picture: Mike Page (Image: Mike Page)

Over the past few months dozens of lorries have been travelling between the Gisleham quarry and the Benacre project site as part of the Benacre and Kessingland Managed Realignment Scheme - a capital scheme delivered by the Water Management Alliance.

The Benacre and Kessingland Managed Realignment Scheme aims to protect a section of the heritage coast (Image: Edward Vere Nicholl (Image: Edward Vere Nicholl)

It has seen extracted clay from the former Gisleham Brick and Pipeworks site, near Lowestoft - essential for building the new flood enbankments - delivered as part of the ongoing project.

A one-way system has been operating on roads around the Benacre project site, which is due to be in place for around 11 months, with a 20mph speed limit operating on The Street and Locks Lane in Benacre.

Beleaguered homeowners living on The Street in Benacre have hit out at the dangerous state their road has been left in - with numerous huge potholes appearing, as they call for action. Image: Caz Collis (Image: Caz Collis)

But with the recent bad weather, and the amount of lorry movements taking place on the single-track roads, neighbours have expressed concerns about the lorries using the small rural lanes.

In the past couple of weeks, more than 20 separate reports of "huge" potholes appearing along the whole stretch of The Street and nearby Locks Lane have been logged with Suffolk County Council via the online Highways reporting tool as locals call for action.

Beleaguered homeowners living on The Street in Benacre have hit out at the dangerous state their road has been left in - with numerous huge potholes appearing, as they call for action. Image: Caz Collis (Image: Caz Collis)

Householders said that two cars have badly damaged after the potholes "ripped the under tray" of the vehicles.

One huge pothole that is said to "cover around half of the road" has been likened to a "crater" as it sparks major concerns.

Locals also described how the lorries have been forced to veer around the "very deep" potholes and go up onto verges and a bank of grass to avoid them.

One neighbour reported a "deep pothole" that fills with water and due to its depth is damaging "our vehicle on a daily basis."

Beleaguered homeowners living on The Street in Benacre have hit out at the dangerous state their road has been left in - with numerous huge potholes appearing, as they call for action. Image: Caz Collis (Image: Caz Collis)

Another added that there are "so many huge potholes," along the entire stretch of The Street.

One neighbour added: "The potholes and the amount of mud being kicked onto the road from lorries trying to avoid them is becoming lethal.

"The whole road needs repairing and most of the residents compensating."

One particular pothole, which is described as being "just before crossroads of old A12" is said to be "enormously damaging."

Another report logged with the county council said there were "multiple potholes spread across the width of the road" which measure around 100-200mm deep and 400mm wide.

One person said there were "too many large potholes all along the one way system," with the lorries "causing a big problem for the residents of Benacre."

With parts of the road having already been repaired last month, there have also been concerns raised that potholes are already appearing near to where the repair works had taken place.

Another neighbour added: "The whole road coming off the A12 is in a terrible state, causing damage to vehicles and is a danger to all residents with 30-40 lorries going through here each day making the surface worse."

Caz Collis, who lives on The Street in Benacre, said the potholes are "a danger" to residents.

"The state of the road is horrific," she admitted.

"We have been asking for weeks for repairs with all the residents contacting the council and still we hear nothing."

Likening the potholes on The Street and Locks Lane "to a maze", she added: "If it has been raining you can’t see them.."

Suffolk County Council has been approached for comment.

© Eastern Daily Press